> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.usefrictionless.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Connect Telegram

> Bring the chats on your own Telegram account into your Frictionless inbox. About a minute, on any Telegram account.

Customers keep messaging your usual Telegram account. Frictionless connects through a bot that you add to your account, so their chats also land in your inbox and your team can answer them. You don't need Telegram Premium or a new number.

## Before you start

* **The Telegram account customers already message.** Use the app on your phone or computer, signed in to that account.
* **Owner access in Frictionless.** Only a workspace owner can connect channels.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the bot">
    In Frictionless, open **Integrations → Telegram** and click **Open Telegram**. Telegram opens a chat with the Frictionless bot. Tap **Start**.

    The bot replies **Linked to** your business name. The link works for 15 minutes; if it has expired, click **Open Telegram** again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the bot to your account">
    In Telegram, go to **Settings → Telegram Business → Chatbots** and type the bot's username: the one in its chat, and on the Integrations page.

    * **Chats:** choose which chats the bot can see. To keep friends and family private, leave out your contacts, or pick only the chats you want.
    * **Reply to messages:** turn it on, so your team can reply from Frictionless.

    The bot sends **Connected** and the Integrations page shows **Receiving messages** on its own.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Try it">
    From another Telegram account, send yours a message. It appears in your inbox with a Telegram badge. Reply from Frictionless and it arrives as a message from you.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How it works

* **Replies come from your account,** in the same chat the customer started.
* **Both places stay in step.** Messages you send from the Telegram app also show in Frictionless, so your team sees the whole chat.
* **24 hours to reply from Frictionless.** Telegram lets connected bots answer within 24 hours of the customer's last message. After that, reply from the Telegram app, or wait for them to write again.
* **Photos, voice notes and files** show in the inbox as a note for now. Open Telegram to see them.
* **On every plan,** from Solo up.

## If it doesn't work

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The bot says the link has expired">
    Links last 15 minutes. Click **Open Telegram** on the Integrations page again and tap **Start**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The page still says Almost connected">
    Telegram hasn't told us the bot was added yet. Check **Settings → Telegram Business → Chatbots** shows the Frictionless bot. If you added it before tapping Start, remove it there and add it again.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Messages arrive but replies fail">
    Turn on **Reply to messages** for the bot under **Settings → Telegram Business → Chatbots**. If the customer last wrote more than 24 hours ago, reply from the Telegram app instead.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Some chats don't come through">
    The bot only sees the chats you allowed. Change the **Chats** setting under **Chatbots**.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Disconnect

In Frictionless, open **Integrations → Telegram** and click **Disconnect**. Then remove the bot in **Settings → Telegram Business → Chatbots**, so it stops seeing your chats. Past conversations stay in your inbox.

Still stuck? Email [appfrictionless@gmail.com](mailto:appfrictionless@gmail.com) and we'll help.


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.